Given that the start of the 2021-22 academic year is less than a month away, I feel that it is necessary to issue guidance regarding our opening procedures. Currently, it is the stance of the Administration and Board of School Trustees that we open school with the least number of restrictions possible, while still working to ensure the health of our school population. As such, we intend to open school with facial coverings being optional. However, there is still a federal mandate requiring masks on public transportation which includes school busses. If this changes, we will gladly change as the requirements are updated.
We will work to continue many simple practices that helped us navigate last year including:
- Requiring frequent hand washing
- Modified lunch scheduling and seating
- Social distancing as possible
- Using water bottle filling stations instead of drinking fountains
- Heightened awareness of potential illness
- Discouraging students and staff from attending school when ill
Please know that since COVID is listed as a communicable disease and requires (by law) notification to the health department upon discovery, contact tracing will still be required and enforced. Should this guidance change, we will change our procedures accordingly. Please note that our current guidance regarding contact tracing exempts those who have been vaccinated from being quarantined. As such, if you are comfortable with vaccinating your child, you may consider such an action if you want your students twelve years and older to avoid such situations. Regardless, such a decision is completely up to our parents and guardians.
I am excited as the upcoming year offers a great deal of hope and the promise of returning to a normal way of living. However, please know that there may be setbacks along the way. In such situations, we will modify our processes as required to help ensure the overall health of our community.
Yours in education,
Jim White, Ed.D
Proud Superintendent
Bremen Public Schools